Improvement in bee-hives



s. ROGERS & A. J. MASON.

Improvement in Bee-Hives. Patented Sep.24, 1872.

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SOLOMON ROGERS AND ALBERT J. MASON, OF BUTLER, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

Specication forming part of Letters l-atent No. 131,62, dated September 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SOLOMON ROGERS and ALBERT J. MASON, of Butler, in the county of De Kalb and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Bee-Hive, of which the following is a specification:

The invention consists in constructing and arranging relatively to each other the bee-box, comb-frames, and means of detachably applying the latter within the former, whereby the comb-frames can be more conveniently examined, removed, or exchanged, without disturbing the bees.

Figure lis a longitudinal section al elevation of our improved hive taken on the line a; .c of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line y y of Fig. 4; Fig. 3 is partly a top view with the cap, honey-boxes, and honey-board removed, and partly a horizontal section; and Fig. 4 is a top view of the honey-board and the parts below.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The bottom is made in two parts, A and B, the latter, which is quite narrow as compared with the former, is permanently attached to the sides at its ends, and the former is hinged to it by a thin strip of iexible substance, C, tacked on the two parts at the upper sides, so as to make a tight joint, and still allow part A to swing down suicien tly to allow of scraping off the matters accumulating upon it without opening the hive in any manner calculated to disturb the bees. The meeting edges of these two parts are beveled, as shown at D, sufficiently to allow the said part A to open for cleaning the upper side of the bottom. The

part A is fastened up by hooks F. The part B of the bottom is made a little thicker than the other part, so there will be a slight descent toward the front for the water to run o the projecting ends, and the front projection E, which latter is employed as a kind of table on which thebees may alight preparatory to entering the hive through the passage Gr. The said part B of the bottom is extended a little beyond the back side of the hive, and is rabbeted in the upper side to receive the back board H, which is hinged in the said rabbet, so that when turned down to the horizontal position it may be maintained thereat for use removal of the comb-frames in this way they are supported on the before-mentioned rest I on the back side, and at the front they are ysuspended at the top by nails or projecting pins L on the notched metal bar M, so that they do not have to be raised to disengage them from their supports, except so as to lift the nail-heads over the metal bar. The support l is a wire rod resting on the wood strip N, which supports it high enough to suspend the comb-frames sufficiently above'the bottom to allow the bees to pass under them to the spaces between the lower bars of the frame through which they pass up into the hive. The bar M is also so arranged as to hold the frames the same height at the front, and this bar is suspended so far from the wall of the side O, that the bees can pass up and down freely between them to prevent the accumulation of any foul matters above-it that should be removed. The inner wall of the side O is beveled 01T, as shown at P, to make room for this space behind it. We propose to line the inside of ther boards H with paper or other suitable substance to make it a warm and inviting place for the moths to collect on it behind the comb-frames, between which on this side the spaces Q will be so narrow as to keep out the bees, so that the moths will thereby be separated from them, and will at the same time be collected on the board H, whereon they can be most readily removed from the 'hive by simply turning it down and scraping them ofi'. We propose to have a dividing board R in the place of one of the comb-frames, by which we may separate the hive into two compartments, or cut oft a portion to limit the size of the hive when required to adapt it to the capacity of the swarm of bees, the passages to the part cut off being closed so they connot enter it. The said board also facilitates the removal of some comb-frames, which for the purpose of removal may be cut oii from the others by the said dividing-board. The

comb-frames are kept apart from each other the requisite distances by the nails or pins a driven into the sides and allowed to project for the purpose, and they are provided with nails b to regulate their distance from the front side of the hive. Suitable Ventilating passages S with perforated guards are provided in the upper part of the side H; also others where required. T is the honey-board, which is held in place by the pins U, and is provided with suitable passages V, through which the bees may go up to the honey-boxes W. X is the cap inclosing the honey-boxes. Y is a glass window in one side of the hive, through which to inspect the interior, and Z is a blind for darkening it.

Having thus described our invention, we?

described.

SOLOMON ROGERS. ALBERT J. MASON.

Witnesses E. L. FosDroK, DAVE) BEGGs. 

